


Two O’clock at the Tower

by PlanetClare



Category: Avengers (Comics), Black Widow (Comics), Captain America (Comics), Hawkeye (Comics), Iron Man (Comic), Marvel (Comics), Winter Soldier (Comics), winterwidow - Fandom
Genre: Angry Clint Barton, Anticipation, Anxiety, Avengers Assemble - Freeform, Avengers Tower, Best Friends, Bionic Arm, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Boys, Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers Friendship, Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Bucky Barnes Has PTSD, Bucky Barnes Has Trust Issues, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Clint Has Issues, Conflict, Cybernetics, Drama, Drone Prototype, Electronics, Empathy, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Love, Lovers, Machines, Man Out of Time, Natasha Romanov Needs a Hug, Old Friends, Party, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Regrets, Revenge, Robots, Sensory Deprivation, Separation Anxiety, Shelby Mustang, Spies & Secret Agents, Trust Issues, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, friends - Freeform, supportive Steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-25
Updated: 2015-11-11
Packaged: 2018-04-28 04:04:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5077075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlanetClare/pseuds/PlanetClare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of “Weekend in Bed,” Bucky Barnes visits Avengers Tower for the first time where Bobbi Morse (Mockingbird) reveals a bit too much about the Winter Soldier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Anticipation

It was the morning of Tony Stark’s drone prototype demonstration, and Bucky was so excited that he hardly slept the night before. He had never been to Avengers Tower, and he was looking forward to finally going out with Natasha among her fellow Avengers.

He tried to be as quiet as he could when he returned from his morning workout, but Natasha stirred when he sat on the bed.

“Why are you up so early? It’s only 6:00,” Natasha mumbled as she squinted at the clock on her nightstand.

“Sorry, babe. I didn’t mean to wake you,” he whispered.

Rolling over to look at him, she asked, “Are you going to work out?”

“No, I just returned. Go back to sleep,” he said with his neck-length dark hair still slightly wet from a shower.

“Returned?” she asked opening her eyes wider.

“I couldn’t sleep,” he admitted.

“Well, I’ll get up and make breakfast for you,” she offered but did not move as she closed her eyes again.

“No no! I’m good. Go back to sleep,” he bade her.

Before he finished talking, she already had.

*  *  *  *  *  *

When Natasha entered the living room ninety minutes later, she found her handsome lover sitting cross-legged on her sofa watching the news. He was shirtless wearing only a pair of dark blue sweat pants as he munched on a big bowl of corn flakes with his beloved cat Sébastien lying between his legs.

Walking into the kitchen in nothing but her green silk bathrobe, she took a mug from an overhead cabinet.

“Thanks for perking the coffee, love.” she said.

“No worries. Your breakfast is on the second shelf of the fridge,” he replied not looking away from the TV.

She expected to find a bowl of cereal but instead saw a plate containing half of a grapefruit, a sliced wheat bagel with cream cheese, and slices of fresh strawberries. The plate was covered in cling wrap to keep the food fresh.

“Oh, baby, thanks! That was so sweet of you. Will you join me?” she asked sitting down at the kitchen table.

Bucky put the remote control on the coffee table, picked up Sébastien, and walked to the kitchen. He put the kitten down next to his feeding bowls and kissed Natasha on her right cheek before sitting across from her and finishing his cereal.

“So, why couldn’t you sleep? Are you nervous?” she asked before biting into a slice of bagel.

“Yes and no,” he said with his mouth full.

“Well, if you want to change your mind...” she suggested.

“Uh-uh. Not a chance!” he said after a big swallow.

“Did you work out with Steve?”

“Nope. I worked out at Steve’s. He wasn’t there. I think he was at Sharon’s place,” Bucky said.

Natasha stopped chewing and raised her left eyebrow.

“They’re still not living together?” she asked.

“Nah. He’s more old-fashioned than I am. They won’t move in together until he gives her some ice,” Bucky said

“Some what?” asked Natasha.

He extended his left ring finger.

“Oh! Not until he puts a ring on it,” she advised.

“Huh? Whatever...” he said with a shrug.

“So what are you doing this morning, my love?” Natasha asked?

“Well, as much as I’d love for you to draw on me this morning, I need to go to the post office and pick up my Fiestaware. Then when I get back, I want to start getting ready for the demo,” Bucky chirped.

“That demo’s not for hours, James!” she said with surprise.

“I know, but I have things to do.”

“Such as?”

“I have to iron my slacks and polish my shoes,” the young assassin advised.

“Your slacks are already pressed,” Natasha reminded him.

“I know, but I want to press them again,” he replied.

“The demo is really not that big of a deal,” she said.

Looking very serious, Bucky replied, “It is to me.”

Considering his remark for a few moments, she finally said, “I’ll drive you over to the post office. It’ll only take me twenty minutes to shower and dress. Want to join me?”

“Normally, I’d say yes, but I just showered after my workout,” he confessed.

“Suit yourself,” she said.

Standing, she kissed him on the forehead. Taking his now-empty cereal bowl, she washed it along with her plate and coffee cup and then walked to the bathroom.  

After turning on the water in the shower, Natasha removed her robe and stepped in.

While she washed, Bucky went to the bedroom and got dressed in a grey t-shirt and jeans and then returned to the living room where he picked up Sébastien and cuddled him.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Twenty minutes later, Natasha appeared in the living room in a navy blue full-length dress and brown flat sandals. Her long red hair was still somewhat damp, but it would air dry while they ran their errand.

“Are you ready to go?” she asked.

“Yep!” he replied as he rubbed noses with Sébastien and placed him on the carpet.

The black kitten sat on his foot and looked up at him woefully.

“We won’t be gone long, buddy – promise!” the assassin assured him.

When Sébastien would not budge, Bucky looked at Natasha awkwardly.

“James, he can’t come with us,” she advised him.

“Nat, look at him. He misses me already. It’s a short trip. What’s the harm in his coming?” he asked.

“Fine. He can come but if he scratches the seats or anything else in my Shelby, you’re both in big trouble!”

Bucky kissed her on the cheek and said, “Thanks, babe!”

Wiping her face, she asked, “You kissed that cat before you kissed me, didn’t you?”

“Of course not!” he denied.

When Natasha turned to open the front door, Bucky smiled devilishly at Sébastien.

*  *  *  *  *  *

On the drive to the post office, Natasha asked, “Why are you so excited about this demonstration? They’re usually pretty dry affairs – nothing special.”

“I’ve never been to one, so I wouldn’t know. It just sounds interesting. I think it’ll be great to finally see Avengers Tower from the inside, and it would be nice to get out for a change.”

He continued to cuddle Sébastien as Natasha drove.

She decided there was no talking him out of it, so she did not respond.

“You still don’t want me to go, do you?” he asked after a few moments of staring at her.

“Everything’s going to be fine, James,” she said trying to forego another argument and convince herself that it would be.

When they entered the post office, Bucky handed Sébastien to Natasha so he could lift the heavy box.

“Here. Hold him for me,” the assassin said.

“I don’t know how to hold a cat!” she exclaimed as she held the feline awkwardly under his front legs.

Sébastien’s body dangled precariously as if he were about to fall.

“Nat, put one hand under his butt so you don’t drop him or snap his spine,” Bucky cautioned.

“Oh...like this?” she asked cupping him with her left hand.

“Yeah, that’s good,” he replied.

“You’re so particular,” she said.

“I’m not being particular, babe; that’s how you’re supposed to hold him,” he advised.

As Natasha looked down at the kitten, their green eyes locked and for once, neither was antagonistic toward the other. For a moment, she thought they had reached a turning point in their brief and caustic relationship.

‘I guess I can see why my James likes you,’ she thought. ‘You seem to have a calming effect on him, so you’re at least of some use, I suppose.’

Natasha decided that she would tolerate the cat – at least for Bucky’s sake.

After receiving the box of tableware, Bucky carried it to Natasha’s Mustang and carefully placed it in the trunk. He then took Sébastien from her.

“Thanks for driving me over, and thanks for holding Sébastien,” he said earnestly.

“No problem, honey,” she said as she kept her eyes on the traffic ahead of them on their way home.

*  *  *  *  *  *

When they arrived at Natasha’s apartment, she again held Sébastien while Bucky removed the box from the trunk of her car.

This time, she cradled the kitten in her left arm as she closed the trunk and then unlocked her front door using her right hand.

While Bucky placed the box on the kitchen counter, Natasha looked down at the cat who was staring up at her. Just as she was about to put him down on the living room rug, he turned his head and licked her arm.

Not knowing how to react, she stared at the cat in shock. Then, she slowly began to soften and grinned at him.

“See! He likes you!” Bucky said as he smiled at both of them.

Natasha had not realized that Bucky was watching her, so she became embarrassed.

“Well...I suppose he is sort of...cute...in a way...” she admitted awkwardly not wanting to completely surrender to the feline’s charms – at least not yet.

“You’re gonna be the best of friends. You wait and see!” Bucky chirped as he approached her and took the kitten from her.

“Right...well...I’m going to go curl my hair and start getting made-up for the demo,” Natasha advised.

“Say, ‘Bye-bye’, Nat,” Bucky said to Sébastien.

She glared scoldingly at her mate until she turned around. Once in the hallway, she began to smirk.

*  *  *  *  *  *

After pressing his black slacks once again and shinning his shoes, Bucky put them on. He then slipped on a short-sleeved, white undershirt and over that put on a long-sleeved, teal v-neck pullover shirt. He stood for a moment admiring himself in the mirror which hung on the back of the bedroom door.

“Do I look okay?” he asked.

Glancing at him from the vanity table where Natasha sat putting the last of the curls in her hair, she was impressed with what she saw.

“James, you look so handsome!” she cooed.

“Thanks, babe,” he replied with a shy smile.

When she finished her makeup, Natasha walked to her closet and selected a knee-length, dark green sleeveless dress with a plunging neckline. For shoes, she chose a pair of tan colored strappy sandals.

“Oh! My necklace!” she exclaimed and then opened the top left drawer of her vanity table.

Inside the drawer was a jewelry box which contained only a few items. One was a platinum gold chain at the end of which hung a single 2 karat diamond – a gift from Bucky on her last birthday.

She held the necklace up to him and when he took it, she turned and raised her hair in the back so he could hook the chain around her neck.

She turned to face him once again and he kissed her on her forehead so he would not smudge her makeup.

Before leaving the room, Bucky put on a black suit coat and helped Natasha into an ankle-length black duster.

“Be a good boy while we’re gone,” the assassin said to Sébastien as he entered the living room.

Placing the pink tension ball on the rug next to the kitten, he scratched the cat on his head.

“We won’t be gone long, James,” Natasha advised him as she took his arm knowing that he would worry about the kitten all the same.

When they reached her car, he opened her driver’s side door for her and then sat in the passenger’s seat.

“Are you ready?” she asked as she started the car.

“Hell yeah!” he replied with a broad smile as she shifted the Mustang into gear and the two sped away.  


	2. The Gathering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At Avengers Tower, Bucky receives a mixed reception.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SHIELD – Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division (a world peacekeeping organization)  
> Tony Stark – codename: Iron Man (millionaire genius, chairman of the board at Stark Industries, and director of SHIELD)  
> Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes – codename: War Machine (Tony Stark’s best friend)  
> Pepper Potts – CEO of Stark Industries and Tony’s girlfriend  
> JARVIS – (J.A.R.V.I.S. = Just A Rather Very Intelligent System) the artificial intelligence (AI) system which controls Tony Stark’s mansion and his Iron Man suits. He is named after Stark’s childhood butler, Edwin Jarvis.  
> Sam Wilson – codename: Falcon (friend of Steve Rogers (codename: Captain America))  
> Sharon Carter – codename name: Agent 13 (Steve’s girlfriend)  
> Maria Hill – deputy director of SHIELD  
> Thor – Asgardian god of Thunder  
> Dr. Jane Foster – an astrophysicist and world’s leading authority on astronomical anomalies (Thor’s human girlfriend)  
> Darcy Lewis – Dr. Jane Foster’s assistant  
> Ian Boothby – Darcy’s assistant and beau  
> Clint Barton – codename: Hawkeye (Avenger; formerly married to Dr. Bobbi Morse)  
> Dr. Bobbi Morse – codename: Mockingbird (formerly married to Clint Barton)

At 2:00, Natasha’s car arrived at the street entrance of Avengers Tower. She and Bucky sat patiently waiting for the metal roll-up door to open and allow her to drive her Shelby Mustang through.

By way of a small camera mounted next to the door, JARVIS was able to observe Natasha. After a few moments of analyzing her with his facial recognition program, he granted her access.

She drove through the garage entrance and parked near the elevator. Stepping out of the car, she and Bucky approached the door and stood in front of a box mounted on the wall next to it which featured a small speaker and another camera.

Standing in front of the camera, Natasha waited while the scanner mapped an image of her face. Then, she leaned forward and allowed it to perform a retinal scan as well.

As she took a step backwards, through the speaker she heard JARVIS say, “Welcome, Black Widow.”

“Good afternoon, JARVIS,” she replied.

Looking at Bucky, she motioned for him to step forward to allow JARVIS to scan his face and eye as well.

After scanning his face, JARVIS said, “I’m sorry, Black Widow. The Winter Soldier is not cleared for access to Avengers Tower.”

“Sergeant Barnes is my guest, JARVIS,” she insisted.

“I’m sorry, Black Widow, but he has not been granted access,” he repeated.

Disappointed, Bucky said, “It’s okay, Nat. I’ll just go back to your place.”

“No! We’re here, and you’re getting in!” she declared.

Returning her attention to JARVIS, she said, “Get me Tony Stark – NOW!”

“Yes, Miss Romanov,” he replied.

After a few moments, the door opened and through the speaker, JARVIS said, “Sergeant James Barnes has permission to enter.”

“Thank you, JARVIS,” Natasha said as she and Bucky entered the elevator and the door closed behind them.

“You’re welcome, Miss Romanov. Enjoy today’s festivities.”

As the elevator began to move, Bucky observed, “You didn’t tell him which floor.”

“He knows,” she replied with a smile.

When they reached the top floor, the door opened onto a huge living room about which guests were already scattered. Surrounding a large glass coffee table were four black leather sofas wit red throw pillows. The far wall was completely glass, which allowed for optimum natural lighting and a breathtaking view of the city.

As Bucky helped Natasha off with her coat, they were greeted by their host, Tony Stark.

“Why, hello, ‘Tasha! Nice of you to join us. Hey, sorry about the whole access thing, Barnes. I didn’t know you were coming since ‘Tasha didn’t RSVP,” the millionaire genius said.

“You wanted an RSVP to a _text message,_ Tony?” Natasha asked incredulously. “Besides, you said _‘significant others invited.’”_

“So I did, and he’s definitely an _‘other,’”_ he replied as if Bucky weren’t standing there.

“Tony!” she scolded.

“Come in and mingle. Oh, and by the way, Barton’s here and he’s _dying_ to see you, Barnes!” he joked apparently aware of Bucky’s blast cap prank on Clint.

Standing to Natasha’s left, Bucky took her hand as they looked around the room. 

He always preferred to hold her left hand with his right so he could feel the warmth of her skin. When it was cloaked, his left hand felt like flesh to her, but its lack of sensation offered him no tactile benefits.

In front of them was a small group of attendees including Tony’s best friend Jim “Rhodey” Rhodes, Maria Hill, Bruce Banner and Clint Barton, who stood with his back to them.

They approached the group and when they were two yards away, Clint turned to face them.

“You asshole! I should kill you where you stand!” he yelled at Bucky with his face still tinted slightly green from the assassin’s prank.

Bucky’s face bore the hint of a smile, which only made Clint madder.

Stepping between the two men, Natasha warned, “Clint – not here.”

“I told you to keep him away from me, ‘Tasha. What the hell is he doing here?” the archer demanded.

“I said NOT HERE!” she repeated.

“Looks like the party has started,” laughed Tony clapping his hands together.

“I’m glad you find this amusing,” Natasha said to him.

“Hey, _you’re_ the one who brought ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ so don’t blame _me,”_ he chided.

Clint was still standing with Jim, Maria and Bruce as they all stared at the pair. After a moment, they all turned and walked away except for Jim.

Looking at Bucky, Natasha lamented, “Ya preduprezhdal tebya, lyubov moya.” [“I warned you, my love.”]

He replied, “Ya znayu, moy dorogoy. Pozhaluysta ne bespokoysya.” [“I know, my dear. Please do not worry.”]

She felt gutted, but Bucky expected this reception and paid it no mind.

Approaching him from behind, Tony slapped Bucky on the back and suggested, “Sergeant, help yourself to a drink. I’ve got a feeling you’ll need one. Better yet, how about you join me in the lab for a look at your arm?”

Turning to face his host, Bucky replied, “With all due respect, I really don’t think this is the time or place for that.”

Nervous, Natasha squeezed his hand tightly.

“You know, SHIELD techs say you haven’t had it upgraded in a while, so it’s probably due for one. Your original arm was Soviet made, but the subsequent ones and their upgrades are courtesy of Stark Industries. Technically, I own that arm, Sergeant, so how about you humor me and come to the lab?”

The assassin could tell that was not a friendly invitation but an order.

The two men stared at each other for a moment, and then Bucky let go of Natasha’s hand. As he reluctantly began to walk toward the elevator with Tony and Rhodey, he noticed Bruce Banner standing at the elevator waiting for them.

Panicking, Natasha quickly looked around the huge living room. Seeing Sam Wilson at the bar with Maria Hill, she ran to him.

“Sam! Is Steve here?” she asked anxiously.

“Oh, hey, ‘Tasha. I didn’t realize you were here,” he said with a broad smile.

“Sam, where is Steve?” she asked grabbing his left arm.

Noting the distress on her face, he said, “I saw him outside on the landing pad with Sharon. What’s wrong?”

She ignored him as she went to find Steve. When she reached the landing pad, Natasha ran to him.

“Steve!” she yelled.

“Hey, ‘Tasha! I’m glad you made it. Where’s Bucky?” he asked.

“You’ve got to go with him. James needs you!”

“Wait – what are you talking about?” a confused Steve asked.

“Tony is taking him to the lab,” she said.

“Well, they settled their differences a while ago, so I’m sure everything’s okay,” he assured her.

“Steve, you’ve got to _stop_ them! Rhodey and Bruce are going with them. I know something’s going to happen to James. I just _know_ it!” she begged.

As Natasha fought back tears, Steve could see her genuine concern. Without saying another word, he turned and sprinted toward the elevator.

Upon seeing his friend run past him, Sam followed.

Just as the elevator door was closing, Steve stuck his hand in the way to stop it. When it opened, everyone inside looked surprised to see Steve and Sam standing there.

“Hey, Buck! I didn’t know you were here. Where are you going?” Steve asked.

Bucky did not respond. Instead, he looked at Steve and then at Tony.

Responding for him, Tony said, “Well, I was just going to have a look at his arm to see if it needs any adjustments or upgrades. Say, Boy Scout, isn’t there a damsel in distress or an old lady who needs help crossing the street?”

Steve gave a sharp laugh and replied, “Not at the moment, so if it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll come along.”

“Me too,” added Sam with a stern look on his face.

After a momentary stare-down with Steve, Tony took a step back to allow him and Sam room in the elevator.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Natasha and Sharon were still outside on the landing pad.

“I just _know_ Tony’s going to do something to James,” she cried onto the shoulder of Sharon’s brown dress as the two women hugged.

“Shhh! It’s okay, ‘Tasha. He’ll be fine. Steve won’t let anyone hurt him. Come on – let’s get you a drink,” the thin blonde said as she guided Natasha into the living room and over to the bar. 

Once there, they were met by Clint who wore a lavender dress shirt and formfitting black slacks. The scowl on his face told Natasha that the impending conversation would probably not be a friendly one.

“Sharon would you excuse us for a moment?” he asked as he looked Natasha up and down admiring the spy’s curvaceous figure in her green dress.

Natasha nodded to let her know that she would be all right. When Sharon was out of earshot, the spy turned her attention to the blonde archer.

“Are you uncomfortable being in a room with so many of your ex-lovers, ‘Tasha?” he asked.

His failed attempt at humor did not faze her.

She ignored the question and asked, “Are you uncomfortable being in the same room with your ex-wife?”

Clint laughed and said, “Touché. Actually, Bobbi and I get along just fine as long as we’re not married to each other.”

Growing bored with the conversation, she asked, “So, what’s going on between you and James?”

Becoming serious, he sneered, “I told you. That bastard exploded a dye cap in my face.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Because he’s an asshole.”

“I’m not going to stand here and let you insult James. He’s a good man and if he did something like that, he must have had a reason,” she insisted.

“I said something to that crazy Cajun, and he must have told _Bucky,”_ Clint confessed. The snide way in which he said the assassin’s nickname sounded like an insult – something which did not escape Natasha’s attention.

“Oh, so you _were_ at fault. Well, it sounds like you had the little prank coming!”

“Humph,” he snorted. “This ain’t over, ‘Tasha.”

“Oh, it _better_ be,” she warned.

*  *  *  *  *  *

When the group of men reached the lab, Tony asked Bucky to remove his shirts so he could examine his cybernetic arm.

Looking at each man in turn, Bucky remained silent but complied as Steve stood at his side. He pressed the tiny button located where his neck and left shoulder met, and the appearance of flesh turned to metal.

As Tony reached for the appendage, it began to ramp up. It whirred and the individual plates rhythmically opened and snapped shut. Normally, it did this when the assassin engaged in combat, but his nerves were getting the better of him and caused his arm to engage.

“Whoa! At ease, soldier! I’m just having a look at it. No one’s going to harm you,” Tony declared.

Lowering his defenses, Bucky made his arm power down and relax.

“This is an amazing piece of machinery. Would you mind if I remove it for a better look?” Tony asked.

“That’s not happening,” Steve said.

“Captain, all I want –” Tony began.

“I said that’s enough. Bucky didn’t come here for this humiliation.”

“Steve, I assure you –”

“I _said_ you’re done here,” he insisted. “Come on, Buck. Let’s go back to the party. It’s rude to leave our dates alone.”

Bucky cloaked his arm once again and put his shirts back on as he, Steve, and Sam stepped into the elevator.

Tony, Rhodey, and Bruce watched them until the door closed.

As the elevator began to move, Steve asked, “What were you thinking, Buck? You shouldn’t have agreed to that.”

“He said he owns my arm. It’s StarkTech. I didn’t think I had a choice,” he replied.

“I don’t care who owns it or made it. It’s YOUR arm, Buck. You always have a choice,” asserted Steve.

“Thanks, pal,” he muttered. “You, too, Sam.”

“No problem,” Sam replied as he put his hand on Bucky’s left shoulder.

Knowing that the assassin suffered from posttraumatic stress syndrome, he offered, “You know, if you ever need to talk to someone about...things...just give me a call.”

“Thanks, man. I’ll keep that in mind.”

 *  *  *  *  *  *

When the trio stepped out of the elevator, Bucky looked around for Natasha. Noticing her at the bar with Sharon, the men walked toward her.

Upon seeing them, she ran to Bucky, threw her arms around him, and kissed him passionately.

“Thank goodness! You’re all right,” she sighed.

“Of course, I’m all right,” he said not understanding why she was so concerned.

Turning to Steve, Natasha hugged and kissed him as well.

“Thank you, Steve.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said blushing.

“Where’s _my_ kiss? I went, too!” chirped Sam.

Laughing, Natasha kissed Sam on his left cheek.

“If you’ll excuse me, Maria owes me a dance,” he said as he stepped away.

“Hey, yeah! JARVIS is playing some nice music today,” observed Steve.

The selection was vast spanning from 1930s Big Band music to contemporary, but no one was dancing. Everyone seemed more interested in either story telling or lively debates.

Suddenly, Bucky heard Glenn Miller’s “Moonlight Serenade” begin. He and Steve looked at each other and smiled.

“May I have this dance?” Bucky asked as he bowed to Natasha.

“Dance? Me? I can’t remember the last time I danced,” she gushed.

“We can solve that problem right now,” he said slipping his right arm around her waist and taking her right hand in his left.

In the center of the living room, the assassin and the spy rocked back and forth as the gentle melody wafted through the room. Bucky looked down lovingly into her green eyes as she gazed wistfully into his blue ones. It was as if no one else were in the room and the song played for them alone.

Soon, they were joined by Steve who had gone to get Sharon. He was nowhere near the dancer that Bucky was, but the reverie he felt at hearing the sweet music made him want to share the nostalgic moment with her.

The rest of the guests watched as the two couples gracefully swayed to and fro.

“If you had danced with me like that, I wouldn’t have divorced you,” Dr. Bobbi Morse informed Clint.

‘Yes, you would have,” he smiled.

“Yeah. You’re right. I still would have,” she laughed.

Holding out his hand to her, Clint asked, “For old times’ sake, Bob?”

Bobbi replied, “Sure. What’s the harm in it?”

The former Mr. and Mrs. Barton joined the other couples at the center of the living room and embraced each other as they never had before. They both felt somewhat awkward at first but gradually relaxed and enjoyed themselves.

“You’re looking lovely today, Bob,” he said to his ex-wife who wore a dark blue column dress which stopped just at her knees.

“Don’t try to charm me back into your bed, Clint,” the tall blonde said with a laugh.

“I did once,” he reminded her.

“Well, you know what they say about fooling me twice,” she said as she recalled their reunion which was followed soon thereafter by another separation.

Feeling left out, Darcy Lewis grabbed her beau Ian Boothby and said, “I don’t know this song, but I wanna dance like the older folks!”

Overhearing her comment, the other couples looked at her with surprise.

“What?” exclaimed the young lady as she and Ian clumsily tried to two-step to the gentle melody.

“Care to dance, Mr. Stark?” Pepper Potts asked her boss and boyfriend, Tony.

“Miss Potts, you know I have the proverbial two left feet,” he jokingly reminded her.

“All it takes is a bit of practice, boss. Come on. Humor me!” said the petite red head.

“Oh, all right, but don’t tell anyone that this happened,” he deadpanned.

As the couples danced, the singles were amused as they had never seen their teammates in such a romantic setting before.

When the song finally came to an end, Bucky spun Natasha out, pulled her back to him, and then dropped her into the sexiest dip the party guests had ever seen. With her long red tresses cascading onto the carpet, she smiled as the assassin slowly lifted her back into a standing position.

All of the women immediately clapped approvingly and after a moment, the men clapped as well – all except Clint.

“Way to recover from that entrance. Who knew that the Winter Soldier could dance?” Tony said patting him on the back.

Bucky smiled shyly and looked at Steve who was beaming with pride.

Steve remembered how back in the 1930s, his best friend was the best Jitterbug dancer in all of Brooklyn. He wondered if Bucky still remembered the moves.

As Natasha and Sharon chatted, Steve said, “We’re gonna go get some drinks.”

“Okay!” the girls replied in unison.

While walking to the bar, Steve reminded his dear friend, “So, you never told me what you got up to in New Orleans.

“Gambit and I did a mission for Fury. We retrieved those stolen nanobots and handed them off to SHIELD. They returned them to Hank Pym. That’s all,” the assassin said with a shrug.

“Oh...I wondered because you didn’t come home immediately,” his concerned friend replied.

“Well...I did stay on a few days. Gambit’s got a lovely house and made me feel right at home,” the assassin chirped trying to steer the conversation away from his activities there. He did not want to divulge that he worked in the House of Celestial Dreams brothel, but he did not want to lie to Steve, either.

“So, what did you do?” his friend pressed.

“Umm...I did some reading and painting,” he confessed not willing to disclose that he read to women while he was naked and painted women’s finger nails.

“Oh...sounds like fun,” Steve said skeptically. He sensed that his buddy was hiding something from him and about this, he was usually right.

“Yeah, it was pretty interesting,” he replied as he hoped his friend would drop the subject.

Bucky was glad when Maria Hill came over and interrupted their conversation.

“Excuse me, Cap. Can I talk to you for a minute?” the tall brunette asked.

“Sure,” he said looking apologetically at his best friend.

Bucky used the opportunity to take his drinks and start walking toward Natasha when he was suddenly stopped by Darcy.

“Wha sup, ‘Winter Smolder’?” the young girl said as she jabbed him lightly in his cybernetic arm.

“And you are...?” he asked looking down at her. He saw the humor in the turn of his codename.

“I’m Darcy! Jane’s assistant.”

Looking around the room, he mumbled, “Jane...Jane...Jane…OH! Dr. Foster?”

“Yeah, that’s right. She’s my boss. Sooooo, we’ve never seen you at a briefing or demonstration before,” she said.

“I’ve never been invited before,” the assassin admitted.

“Well, I hope we see a lot more of you. I mean, I hope we see you again sometime,” she smiled.

“Thanks, Darcy. I hope so, too,” he said earnestly.

Before he took more than two steps from her, he heard a voice from behind him.

“Hello, ‘Mr. Johnson.’”

Turning to face Bobbi, he replied, “Hey there, ‘Mrs. Johnson.’”

They both laughed remembering the vacation they spent together in Hawaii while Natasha was on an Avengers mission.

Glancing at her black strappy sandals, he said, “I see you’re still painting your toenails red.”

“I did today because I know how much you like it,” she whispered.

Even though they slept in separate beds, when Bucky bit his bottom lip and his face took on a worried expression, she said, “Don’t worry. I won’t tell Natasha what happened. I hope you’re doing better. No other episodes?”

“Well, just one since then,” he admitted.

Putting her left hand on his right bicep, she advised, “Take care of yourself, soldier.”

Neither of them noticed that Natasha was observing them as she stood with Sharon at the other side of the room. She could not hear their conversation, but she was becoming annoyed.

Just as Bucky thought he could finally rejoin Natasha, a few of the other women approached him and Bobbi.

“Where did you learn how to dance like that?” a SHIELD agent asked.

“Why haven’t we seen you at the other demos?” asked another.

Smiling shyly, Bucky said, “Ladies, I need to get this drink to Natasha before it gets warm. Maybe some other time?”

They watched adoringly as he walked away.

“Look at dat ass!” Darcy hissed.

“Darcy!” scolded Jane.

“What? I’m just sayin’ what we’re all thinkin’. That cat’s hot!” she explained.

“Sorry it took so long. Here’s your drink, babe,” he said handing the double shot of vodka to Natasha.

“What was all that about?” she asked looking at the group of women who were still assembled and watching her mate.

“I don’t know. Just some curious ladies,” he said dismissively.

“Hmm...” she said staring at Bobbi who seemed to have a guilty look on her face.

“Hey, Buck!” yelled Sam from the bar.

“Yeah?’ he asked.

“Do you know how to make an Old Fashioned?” he asked.

“Are you asking me _because_ I’m old?”

“No! I just thought you might know,” he said.

“I’ll be right back,” he told Natasha and kissed her cheek before returning to the bar.

“How’s he doing?” asked Steve as he joined her.

“I have to admit that he’s been sleeping a lot better since he got that cat,” she replied.

“Yeah, he told me you let him keep it,” the handsome blonde said.

“It makes him happy and keeps him calm. It’s good therapy, I guess – that and the crayons.”

“What – Buck uses coloring books now?” asked Steve. “He’s never been artistic before.”

“No, silly! Gambit gave me body paint crayons to draw on him. It’s supposed to stimulate him and provide sensory therapy.”

Steve’s face turned red.

“Oh, don’t be such a prude!” she teased. “He needs it after decades of sensory deprivation. That Cajun is smarter than he looks.”

“You’re right. I’m sure Bucky could use the therapy.”

“Anyway, he hasn’t had any nightmares since he returned from the school. That’s a plus!” she remarked.

“You seem to know what you’re doing, ‘Tasha, but let me know if you need anything.”

“Thanks, Steve. I will,” she said.

When Bucky returned, he said, “Sorry for the interruptions.”

Natasha did not reply. She simply kissed him passionately on the lips.

Watching them, Darcy said. “They’re killing me!

“Darcy! Will you be quiet?” admonished Jane.

“I can’t help it. Winter Soldier is so hot! Why can’t I have a guy like that?” the assistant whined.

“Gee, thanks,” said her beau Ian.

“Darcy, you’re embarrassing yourself,” Jane advised.

“She’s just having fun – and perhaps too many drinks,” Thor teased.

“Where have you been all this time?” scolded Jane.

“I was conversing with Colonel Rhodes about –”

“Never mind. You owe me a dance!” she said.

Suddenly, the music stopped and JARVIS made an announcement.

“Assembled guests, if you would please proceed to the quinjet landing pad, the demonstration will now commence.”

Following his instructions, all the guests walked outside and formed a circle around the perimeter of the pad.

In the center, they saw a drone which was the size of a shoe box. It was designed to look like a tiny quinjet with a silver body, short wings, and three small ‘legs” on the bottom. As its lights flashed, the onlookers could hear the hushed whir of its small engine.

Stepping toward the middle of the circle, Tony held the remote controls for the drone. Smiling proudly, he began the demonstration.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve invited you here today to witness the latest innovation in peacekeeping technology. This prototype will revolutionize the way we pursue suspects. This new drone will act as our eyes and ears in tough situations and eliminate the need to put law enforcement and heroes’ lives at risk.”

Working the controls, Tony lifted the drone two feet off the landing pad. 

“It’ll pursue perps into parking structures, warehouses, and buildings while scanning for facial recognition, accessing criminal records, and transmitting live video footage from its mounted camera.”

As he spoke, the only guests who paid attention to him were Bucky and Natasha. Everyone else was focused on Bucky.

Steve and Sam stared because they were glad to see their friend seemingly so happy. The other men stared at the assassin wondering what Natasha saw in him. Most did not believe that as the Winter Soldier he was completely helpless in his brainwashing and felt that he could have done something to fight or prevent it if he truly wished. Others felt that if he was brainwashed, it meant he was weak and, therefore, not worthy to stand among them. Either way, they felt that the crimes he committed against his own country were unforgivable.

The women stared because they could not take their eyes off of him. He was simply captivating. Tall, dark, incredibly handsome and rugged, the assassin had an aura about him.

As his neck-length hair blew in the light breeze, Bucky watched the demonstration with keen interest. He stood behind Natasha with his arms lovingly wrapped around her waist and his strong cleft chin rested on her head.  

In kind, the spy gently leaned back into his embrace as her red curls cascaded over his muscular chest. She rested her arms gracefully atop his.

Each of the other women envied her at that moment. They wondered what it was like to be held so tenderly in the assassin’s lethal arms. If the stories were true, those young hands caressing the Black Widow were the same hands which had strangled, shot or stabbed many an opponent over the past seventy years.

As they watched him, each woman speculated on how deep his passion ran. Was he attentive to a woman’s needs and desires, or was he selfish in bed? They heard that he could kill a man in a dozen different ways, but how could such a man be so gentle with the fairer sex? They had so many questions but did not dare ask the woman who would know best.

Continuing with the demonstration, Tony tried to get the drone to ascend higher than the two feet, but it sputtered and began to lose altitude. Suddenly, the craft simply dropped onto the landing pad.

“Well, I said it was only the prototype. There are some bugs that still need to be worked out,” he confessed.

Surprising everyone when he spoke, Bucky offered, “It’s probably the thrusters.”

“What did you say?” asked his host.

“I said, it’s probably the thrusters. What are you using?” the assassin asked earnestly.

Most of the other guests were shocked taking his question as an insolent challenge.

“I’m using electrostatic ion thrusters as a matter of fact, Winter Soldier – not that you’d understand or know anything about it,” the smug genius stated gruffly.

Natasha and Steve frowned at his rudeness realizing that this was turning into a confrontation. They both knew that Bucky meant no harm but sometimes wished he could keep his observations to himself.

“Well, maybe you should switch to pulsed plasma thrusters,” the assassin suggested.

By now, the assembled guests were looking back and forth between the two men as each spoke.

Laughing, Tony sarcastically asked, “Oh, really? Since you think you suddenly know more about machines than I do, please share with us why I’d want to do that.”

Speaking cautiously, Bucky explained, “There are known performance issues with the electrostatic ion thrusters. Their optics are bombarded with secondary ions which erode, and that reduces engine efficiency. If you switch to pulsed plasma thrusters, you’d see greater efficiency through a surplus of stored electricity from solar energy. It’s less fuel consumption and higher impulse performance.”

The other guests were amazed and stared at Bucky in silence. They were not sure what he said but were impressed nonetheless by his courage at speaking.

Becoming annoyed, Tony snapped, “Not that anyone asked you, Sergeant, but you’re wrong! The rapid conductive heat transfer from the propellant makes the pulsed plasma thrusters’ efficiency low and, therefore, less suited to a craft like this.”

“But that’s for larger craft,” Bucky continued. “This is a drone, so the pulsed plasma thrusters would be a better alternative. Plus, the solar energy would be better for the environment.”

There was a long pause while the two men stared at each other. The other guests did not know what to think.

Bruce was of two minds about it but said nothing as he ran through both scenarios in his head.

Finally, Tony broke the silence.

“JARVIS?” he asked and waited for the artificial intelligence to respond.  

“He’s right, sir,” JARVIS replied. “By my calculations, given the size of this craft, Sergeant Barnes is correct.

The guests were dismayed and let out a collective gasp. Each looked at Bucky expecting him to gloat.

He did not smirk or celebrate this validation. He was simply glad that Jarvis confirmed that his calculations were correct.

“Well, I _did_ say it was a prototype. Looks like it’s back to the drawing board for this drone. I could use a drink,” Tony declared as he walked back into the living room.

Turning to face her lover, Natasha gave him a passionate kiss and said, “I’m so proud of you!”

“Thanks, babe,” he whispered.

As Sharon, Maria and the men walked back inside, the other women lingered as they watched the assassin and the spy kissing momentarily before joining the other guests inside.

Bucky and Natasha did not notice because they only had eyes for each other.

“Man! What I wouldn’t give to see that guy naked,” Darcy chirped.

“Darcy!” Jane scolded.

“What? You mean you wouldn’t like to see dat ass with no clothes on?”

Jane blushed wondering what Thor would think if he heard this conversation.

“I’ve seen it,” Bobbi said absentmindedly.

“WHAT?” the other women exclaimed in unison.

“Oops,” she replied.

Grabbing Bobbi by the wrists, Darcy declared, “Oh, girl, you’ve _got_   to spill. Tell us everything and don’t miss a detail!”

Bobbi did not know what to say without giving away that she had spent time in Hawaii with Bucky while Natasha was on an Avengers mission. She promised him that she would not speak of it, yet she was already betraying him. Hastily, she decided to make up a little white lie on the fly.

“Umm...we were part a covert mission and I accidentally walked in on him while he was changing his clothes,” she said.

Like an inquisitor, Darcy asked, “What did he say when you saw him?”

“He didn’t realize that I did,” Bobbi continued.

“Was he _totally_ naked?” asked Pepper joining in on the questioning.

“Yeah, he was,” Bobbi said smiling at the memory of pretending to be Bucky’s wife.

“What’s his body look like?” Darcy queried.

“He’s got zero body fat, so he’s solid muscle head to toe.”

“What about his package? How big is he?” Darcy asked.

“DARCY!” yelled Jane.

“Shhh!” the other women said.

Bobbi took a deep breath and looked around to make sure there were no men within earshot.

“Well?” Darcy urged.

“It’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen,” she confessed.

The other women gasped.

“Is it thick or long?” Darcy pressed.

“Darcy, I swear!” Jane admonished.

Looking at her boss, she said, “What? I said ‘all the details,’ so that’s what I want – ALL the details.”

Returning her attention to Bobbi, Darcy said, “Come on! Out with it, woman – thick or long?”

Glancing inside the living room at Bucky, Bobbi smiled and said, “Both.”

The women screamed with delight causing the guests inside to wonder what was going on outside on the landing pad.

“What does he smell like?” the assistant asked.

“He doesn’t smell like anything,” Bobbi remarked.

“How could he not smell like anything?” questioned Darcy.

“He’s an assassin! How could he sneak up on a target if he smelled like Drakkar Noir or Axe?” Bobbie asked sarcastically.

“Point taken,” Darcy conceded.

From where Bucky and Natasha sat holding hands and snuggling on one of the sofas, they could see the group of women still outside.

“What are they doing out there?” Bucky wondered.

Natasha shrugged her shoulders as she stared suspiciously at the woman at the center of the gathering.

“I’ve said too much already. I’m out of here,” Bobbi remarked as she left the group and walked back inside. She tried her best to avoid meeting Natasha’s glare but when she did for a fleeting moment, she quickly looked away nervously.

“I’m going to get some water. Would you like one?” the spy asked the assassin as she kept her eyes on Bobbi.

“Oh, I’ll get it,” Bucky offered.

“No, my love. Allow me,” Natasha replied as she stood and walked toward the bar. As she passed Bobbi, she spoke.

“Is there something going on that I should know about, Dr. Morse?”

Nervously, Bobbi replied, “Not at all. Why would you think that?”

“Let’s just call it ‘woman’s intuition,’” Natasha suggested.

As the other women returned from the landing pad, they stopped in their tracks at seeing Natasha and Bobbi talking.

“Oh, this is gonna be _good!”_   Darcy exclaimed.

“If there’s something that I should know _now_   but I don’t find out until _later,_ things will be decidedly unpleasant, Bobbi,” Natasha warned.

“I assure you there’s nothing ‘going on,’” she replied more confidently than before.

The two women stared at each other for a moment, and then Natasha proceeded to the bar and removed two bottles of water from the mini fridge.

Upon returning to her seat next to Bucky, she handed one bottle to him and cooed, “Here you are, honey.”

“Thanks, babe,” he replied unaware that he had been the subject of discussion among all the women at the gathering. He placed his bottle on the coffee table and taking Natasha's, he opened it for her.

*  *  *  *  *  *

As the afternoon approached evening, some of the guests began to say their good-byes and depart.

Although Bucky genuinely enjoyed his time at Avengers Tower, he was worried about Sébastien being home alone.

Seeing the concern on his face, Natasha asked, “Sébastien?”

He nodded his head.

“I’m ready when you are,” she said and kissed him on the cheek.

The pair stood and approached Steve and Sharon who were near the bar talking to Sam.

“We’re gonna to take off now,” Bucky said. “It was great seeing you all together.”

“Leaving so soon, Buck?” Steve asked.

“Yeah, we have to get home to the little one,” Natasha smiled.

“Oooh! You two are getting broody on us,” Sharon chirped.

Natasha flinched. She tried to hide how much the innocent comment stung her, but it cut her to the bone.

Bucky and Steve knew that upon graduating as a Black Widow, she was sterilized while sleeper agents such as Bucky were not.

It deeply upset her that he could have a child with someone else, but she could never bear one for him.

“We’ll see you later,” she said to their friends and kissed each of them on the cheek.

Sharon noticed the sudden change in Natasha’s demeanor but thought better of questioning it.

Steve wanted to explain but did not wish to do so in front of Sam who he was sure did not know about Natasha, either. He decided it was probably best not to say anything at all.

On their way to the elevator, Bucky asked her, “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she lied.

“You seem a little –”

“I’m just tired,” she interrupted him.

“Leaving so soon? The party’s just getting started,” Tony said from behind them.

“Nat’s a bit tired,” Bucky informed him.

“Well, I hope you enjoyed yourselves. Listen, no hard feelings, Sergeant?” he asked.

Bucky stared at his host for a moment before saying, “No hard feelings.”

The two men shook hands as Natasha pressed the elevator button.

“Say, how do you know about thrusters?” Tony asked curiously.

Smiling as he and Natasha put on their coats, Bucky replied, “I’ve always had an interest in machines, but you could say that I now have a ‘kinship’ with them.”

“Well, I may ask for your advice on the drone, so don’t be surprised if you hear from me. Get home safely, and don’t make a stranger of yourself, Barnes.”

“I won’t,” Bucky said as he and Natasha stepped into the elevator.

As the door closed, JARVIS asked, “I trust you enjoyed the festivities, Miss Romanov?”

“Yes, JARVIS. We did,” she replied.

“Good. It was a pleasure to meet you, Sergeant Barnes,” he said.

“Thank you JARVIS,” said Bucky earnestly.

As the door opened onto the parking level, the couple exited.

“Enjoy the rest of your day!” JARVIS remarked.

“Thanks, JARVIS,” they said in unison.

As Bucky opened Natasha’s car door for her, he asked, “Are you _sure_ you’re okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I’m just tired and eager to get home.”

During their drive, Bucky cheerfully chattered about the afternoon’s events. He spoke of how thrilled he was to finally see Avengers Tower from the inside and to be among the invited guests. His only regret was that he did not receive a tour of the tower.

“Do you think that next time, you could show me around? That would be great!” he said.

Without waiting for a response, he began talking again about what a great day it had been. At no time during the ride did he realize how quiet Natasha had become.

She was not listening to him. Instead, she was lost in thought.


	3. Equilibrium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky and Natasha return home from the demonstration. An innocent comment causes Natasha to consider her future with Bucky.

Upon arriving at her apartment, Natasha opened the front door and found Sébastien sitting in the doorway mewing.

“Hey, buddy, we’re back!” Bucky exclaimed as he scooped up the kitten and cradled him like a baby.

Natasha silently walked straight to the bedroom to change her clothes. Sitting at her vanity in a pair of denim shorts and a blue t-shirt, she stared blankly into the mirror.

Entering the room, Bucky gently placed Sébastien on the bed and looked at Natasha.

Finally realizing how quiet she had been, he knelt at her side.

“What’s wrong, Nat? Did I do something wrong? Did I embarrass you today?” he asked curiously.

Not looking at him, “No,” is all she said.

Laying the left side of his face on her lap, he put his arms around her waist and asked, “Was it something I said?”

Not returning his embrace, she replied, “It was something Sharon said.”

“Sharon?” he asked pulling away from her.

“She said we were _‘getting broody,’”_ Natasha explained.

“So?” the assassin wondered.

“James, have you ever wanted children?” she asked.

“Who – me? I’ve never thought about it,” he confessed.

“We Black Widows were sterilized in the Red Room Program, but you Sleeper Agents were not. You could have any woman at that party today and have children with her. So, why would you want to stay with me?”

“I’m with you because I love you, Nat. I don’t care that you can’t have children. What would an assassin and a spy do with a baby, anyway? We don’t need babies. We have Sébastien.”

Laughing, she remarked, “You _do_ know that he’s a _cat_ – right, James?”

He smiled and kissed her on her forehead. Reaching across her vanity, he opened the box of body paint crayons and removed the red stick. He gently held her left hand palm side up and drew the outline of a heart on it. Tenderly kissing the center of his artwork, he looked up at her with that shy boyish smile that she loved so dearly.

“Don’t worry about something that doesn’t matter,” he advised.

She felt slightly better about things.

Taking the crayon from her lover, she laid it on the vanity and then began to remove his shirts. He stood to allow her to unzip and then lower his pants. Once she had completely undressed him, she sat him on the bed and then undressed in front of him.

Bucky lay back as Natasha began to draw on him. He flinched as she made swirls, stars and hearts all over his body enjoying every tender touch and tickle.

Using the yellow and red crayons, she drew flames around the hilt of his hardening penis, and the two burst into laughter when she was finished.

Bucky laid her back and drove his ‘flaming cock’ into her thrusting faster and harder until his rhythm slowed and they convulsed in silent orgasms.

They remained coupled in a tender embrace as he rolled over with her atop his taut, muscular body. When he finally fell asleep, she gently slid off of him, stood, and went to shower.

Watching the rainbow of colors that transferred from Bucky’s body wash down the drain, Natasha considered what he said.  She remained sad that she could never give him a child but found solace in his admission that it did not matter to him.

As she towel dried, she wondered what kind of parents they would be if they were able to have children together. Then again, he was probably right. In their line of work, having a child was certainly not a good idea. Espionage was a dangerous life, and they could never forgive themselves for putting a child’s life in jeopardy.

When she returned from her shower, she saw that Bucky had kicked off the top sheet and was lying on his back naked with his penis fully erect. She watched his closed eyelids fluttering which meant that he was dreaming, and she hoped that for once he was not having a nightmare.

Tiptoeing to the vanity, she picked up her cell phone and making sure that she angled it to capture what was left of the red and yellow flames, she quietly snapped a picture before trembling in silent laughter.

Not wishing to wake him since he rarely got restful sleep, she decided that since it was now 6:00, she should make dinner. So, she put on one of his t-shirts and walked toward the kitchen.

On her way, she bent to pick up Sébastien who had decided to follow her down the hallway. Retracing her steps, she removed her pillow and placed it at the foot of the bed. In its place, she gently laid Bucky’s beloved kitten next to his head. She then silently crossed to his side of the bed and took his cell phone from his nightstand. Smiling, she left the room.

Before looking in the refrigerator, Natasha put her cell phone and Bucky’s on the kitchen counter. Leaning over hers, she sent a text message to Steve with the photo of Bucky attached.

           **BadGirl:** Look at his little soldier saluting!

Once she hit ‘Send,’ she turned to Bucky’s phone. She knew how to bypass the fingerprint lock on it and was soon scrolling through his text messages.

Little did she know it, but he was aware that she could unlock his phone. If there was something that he definitely did not want her to see, he either did not store it on the phone or did so but in one of the five languages that he spoke but she did not.

Finding the text thread that she was looking for, she noted the name and number but resisted the urge to read the messages. She placed his phone on the kitchen table and returned to hers.

Holding her phone, Natasha sent the same message to the new contact that she sent to Steve:

          **BadGirl:** Look at his little soldier saluting!

Just then, she received a reply from Steve.

 **BrooklynBoy:** Good grief, Tasha! :-O [he followed this with a red-faced emoji]

          **BadGirl:** I think it’s cute! Had to share. Haha! :-)

As she held her phone, it buzzed and another text message popped up. It was a reply to the second one that she sent.

          **SaintsFan:** Bonsoir, ma chèrie! I see you enjoy les crayons I gave you.

           **BadGirl:** Yes, he LOVES them! Thanks again for looking out for him.

          **SaintsFan:** My pleasure, petite. Now, go enjoy that little soldier while he’s still saluting.

          **BadGirl:** REMY!

          **SaintsFan:** Girl, you know you want to.

          **BadGirl:** Good-bye!

Putting down her phone, Natasha opened the refrigerator and looked for something she could cook quickly. As she bent over looking onto a low shelf, she did not hear Bucky approach.

Standing behind her, he observed her for a few moments.

“I’m fine with an egg, you know,” he said startling her.

“James! You scared me,” she gasped.

“I haven’t lost my touch,” he replied. He had taken a 5-minute shower and was wearing nothing but sweat pants while he lovingly caressed Sébastien.

Just then, his phone buzzed indicating that he had received a text message. He put down the kitten and watched him scamper to his litter box.

Picking up his phone, he said, “Oh, _there_ it is. I thought I left it on the nightstand.”

Natasha watched as he read the message and noted how his smile faded while his eyes grew as big as saucers.

“Oh my GOD!” he yelled.

“What’s wrong?” she asked with concern.

“You sent Steve this naked photo of me?” he said in disbelief as he held the phone to show her the photo which Steve had forwarded to him.

“I thought it was cute!” she said with a shrug. “What did he say?”

“What did he _say?_ He said, ‘I see you have a pole, but where’s your flag?’ _Really,_ Nat?” he exclaimed.

“I’m sorry. I thought your little friends would think it was funny.”

“Funny? Oh, they’re laughing, but clearly AT me – not WITH me!” he scolded.

Natasha frowned and was sorry that she had upset him.

When his phone buzzed again, he yelped, “Oh, great! Here’s another one. This one’s from Gambit: ‘Nice to see you’re putting the crayons to good use. Let me know when you run out. There’s more where that came from.’ Wonderful, Nat. Just wonderful!”

He looked at her and shook his head in disbelief.

“Well, I just thought...you know...”

“No, I _don’t_  know. Tell me something. How many people did you send this to?” he demanded.

Before she could stop herself, she said, “Well, you don’t have many friends...Oh! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it that way!”

“Well, it’s a good thing I _don’t,_ or this photo would be on the local news,” he scoffed.

They stood silently staring at each other for a few moments.

Finally breaking the silence, she said, “I’m sorry, James. I didn’t do it to hurt you.”

“Boundaries, Nat. Boundaries,” he said.

She walked over and hugged him. At first, he did not return her embrace but soon gave in.

Suddenly, they heard another buzz, and Bucky braced himself for yet another joke message about his manhood. However, this time, the buzzing phone was Natasha’s.

She looked at the caller ID, frowned, and then answered it.

“Hey, Tony,” she said looking at Bucky.

He immediately frowned as well.

“Uh-huh. Yeah. Hang on...” she said as she covered the phone and then looked at Bucky expectantly.

After giving it a moment of thought, he nodded his head.

Receiving his approval, she said, “Okay, Tony. I’m on my way!” and ended the call.

As Bucky looked disappointed, she stood on her toes and kissed him on the lips.

“Thanks for understanding, babe,” she chirped as she quickly walked to the bedroom to dress. Within three minutes, she was clad in jeans, a grey t-shirt, and was putting on her brown leather jacket. She grabbed her car keys to make the drive toward Manhattan. 

“You two be good, and make sure you eat!” she advised as she opened the front door.

“Be careful, babe,” Bucky said as he sat Sébastien down on the kitchen table.

“Honey, don’t put him on the table. He’s been standing in his litter box,” she scolded.

Scooping up the kitten again, he said, “Sorry!”

“I’ll call you,” she said as she shut the door behind her.

Returning Sébastien to the kitchen table, Bucky scratched his head and said, “Well, buddy, your Mom’s working tonight, so it looks like it’s just you and me for dinner. You know what that means...corn flakes!”

He pulled a box of cereal from one of the white kitchen cabinets. Taking a bowl and spoon from the dish drain, he first poured the flakes and then almond milk over them. He lifted Sébastien from the table and sat down on one of the grey living room sofas.

As the kitten curled up in his lap, Bucky flipped through the TV channels until he found a station that was showing the evening news.

“Let’s see if your Mom and Uncle Steve make the headlines tonight.”

 

> **News Anchor:** “In local news, there appears to be what looks like a spacecraft hovering over midtown Manhattan. Some of the Avengers are already on the scene. We’ll bring you continuing coverage as this story develops.”

The camera showed Hawkeye standing in the middle of a street looking up at the craft with his bow and arrow at the ready. Behind him was Iron Man hovering 2 feet above using his suit’s repulsors.

As he watched the footage, Bucky knew that since Natasha was on her way there, so was Steve. He thought it was a good thing that he recently performed some upgrades on her car. He installed transition windows that darkened at the press of a button as well as a hands-free steering switch. They would come in handy at times like this so she could black-out the windows and the car could drive itself as she changed into her catsuit while en route.

Bucky resigned himself to the fact that this was the way things would have to be with Natasha leaving at a moment’s notice. He knew it would be a delicate balancing act between protecting the world and finding time for each other. It was a noble sacrifice but in the long run, it would be well worth the effort.

**Author's Note:**

> © 2015 Planet Press
> 
> All characters herein are the property of Marvel Comics which retains the rights, with the exception of Sébastien the Cat who was created by this author.


End file.
